Taking Stock - Inspect-a-gadget

But this is a second generation canine, new and improved, and comes with virtually everything except a poop a scoop (as yet AIBO does not foul footpaths, but who knows what Sony will come with next in the pursuit of authenticity).

AIBO does have voice recognition and can be taught up to 40 words. Though collecting the morning paper is traditional, TS suggests a useful innovation may be getting AIBO to ‘go and do the photocopying’, or maybe ‘go and get my secretary from her fag break’.

Unfortunately Sony makes no mention of anything useful although it has included touch sensors which means you can stroke AIBO and ‘he will be happy’. Let’s hope if you stand on his tail he doesn’t bite your ankles.